National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Surgeons earn a national median of $297,800/year vs Welders at $47,990/year. Surgeons earn 84% more nationally. The gap is $249,810 per year — or $20,818 per month.
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Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
VS
Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
Annual salary gap
$249,810
Surgeons earn 84% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,831,670.
Best states for Welders
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-211,010
West Virginia+$-211,010
Louisiana+$-213,010
North Dakota+$-213,010
Wyoming+$-215,010
Best states for Surgeons
vs Welders
California+$281,010
New York+$269,010
New Jersey+$268,010
Connecticut+$265,010
Massachusetts+$265,010
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Surgeons is $297,800 versus $47,990 for Welders — a difference of $249,810 per year or $20,818 per month.
The national median salary gap between Surgeons and Welders is $249,810 per year. Surgeons earn 84% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,831,670.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Surgeons the highest median salary at $338,000 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Welders the highest median salary at $66,990 per year.
Salary is one factor — Surgeons earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Surgeons and Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Surgeons earn approximately $143 per hour nationally and Welders earn approximately $23 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
